Mikhail Burkov
Mikhail Burkov, born 1983, Amur Oblast. Charges: Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Organization of the activities of an extremist organization); “Case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Tynda”. Sentence (October 24, 2022): Six years and two months of imprisonment in a general regime colony. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since October 25, 2022; place of detention: Penal colony No. 14, Khabarovsk Krai. Recognition: Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, December 11, 2020; Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion, April 5, 2020.
In brief
Amur Oblast · Tynda · Manual workers · Extremism cases, Cases against Jehovah's Witnesses
Sentence
6 years 2 months
Six years and two months of imprisonment in a general regime colony
Upheld May 14, 2024
Charges
- Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Organization of the activities of an extremist organization
Full wording of the charges
organised meetings of followers of religious organisations
Latest event
May 14, 2024 — cassation
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, December 11, 2020
- Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion — Memorial Human Rights Centre, April 5, 2020
Timeline
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· Imprisonment begins
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for Amur Oblast
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 6 years 2 months
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Recognised as persecuted for exercising freedom of religion
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Preventive measure: travel ban (written undertaking)
· Persecution begins
Case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Tynda
Criminal case
Case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Tynda
Other defendants in the case
- Vladimir Bukin — Imprisoned, 6 years 4 months
- Valery Slaschev — Imprisoned, 6 years 4 months
- Sergey Yuferov — Imprisoned, 6 years 4 months
Thematic group: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses in Tynda
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 14, Khabarovsk Krai
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
682640,Хабаровский край, г. Амурск, шоссе Машиностроителей д.10, ФКУ «ИК № 14 УФСИН России по Хабаровскому краю», Бурков Михаил Иванович, 1983 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of Tynda (Amur Region). On November 11, 2019, a case was opened on organising activities for an extremist organisation in connection with involvement in the Jehovah's Witnesses community. Representatives of this community are prosecuted under extremist articles solely for religious activities: meetings, joint worship services, and attracting new supporters. On November 17, Burkov's flat was searched, and he was placed under a recognizance not to leave. On October 25, 2022, he was sentenced to six years and two months in a general regime penal colony and was taken into custody in the courtroom. However, on December 27, the court of appeal overturned the verdict and returned the case to the court of first instance, leading to Burkov's release on his own recognizance. On June 23, 2023, the court of first instance issued a sentence similar to the previous one.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 282.2 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.